I had only taken planes, trains, and automobiles to business meetings in the past. But in the scenic Pacific Northwest, I found myself boarding a ferry that would take me from Seattle to beautiful Bainbridge Island to meet with one of MarketScale’s partners to kick off a new campaign.
As with any great city, the city sights and surrounding landscapes are important to Seattle’s identity. From the ferry, Seattle’s skyscrapers hug the surprisingly Puget Sound – a truly breathtaking site. When I arrived in Bainbridge Island, I was picked up by the Director of Sales and Marketing of our partnering company. Although their office sits on Bainbridge Island, this partner manufactures railing systems for builders and architects across the country. By offering pre-fabricated railings built out of steel, they can deliver a high-end product without the high labor costs and difficult installation that typically comes with it. Their team is made up of smiling, hard-working individuals who made it clear that they are proud of their town. We spent some time discussing LinkedIn and how the platform will integrate seamlessly into their marketing and sales strategy.
After a great meeting, I took the ferry back across the Puget Sound to meet a different partner for dinner. I didn’t have to go far at all because we decided that I couldn’t come to Seattle without getting seafood. And what better place to get seafood then AQUA by El Guacho, located right on the pier. With a meeting planned for the next morning, dinner was dominated by getting to know each other outside of work and exquisite seafood. I’ve been guilty of rolling my eyes when people scoff at the idea of seafood in Dallas. I always tell people that today’s technology makes it possible to have fresh seafood in any major city. But after gorging on crab cakes and seared scallops, I have to say this: seafood tastes fresher on the coast. There’s no doubt about it. My compliments go to the chef and my lovely company (you know who you are)!
The next day, I visited the office of the same MarketScale partner from dinner, who we’ve worked with for about a year now. They offer a cutting-edge payment solution for restaurants. It was amazing to see their office and everything that goes into the technology that allows restaurants across the country to turn tables faster, collect payment more securely, and better serve their guests. Together, we discussed a marketing content strategy that will deliver marketing qualified leads, as well as how we’re going to move those leads to be sales qualified.
It was a very special trip to Seattle. Every step of the way, I noticed something in everyone I saw whether they ran my card for a coffee pickup participated in a meeting: pride in their city. Living in Dallas, I see plenty of pride in my city. But with a different city comes a different pride. Seattleites have a lot to be proud about. Some of the largest and most successful companies are headquartered in Seattle. They have the ocean and the mountains as their next-door neighbors. Seattleites show up for their pro sports teams, and they’re getting another (several people excitedly told me about the NHL team that will join the fold of Seattle sports franchises). The consistent complaint was traffic as the result of excessive of growth, which, in the grand scheme of things, is a good problem to have. Seattle is a special place, with special people, and I thank the whole city for giving be a business trip to remember!
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